The present invention is related to modular manufacturing of products, mainly the manufacture of food cooking arrangements. More particularly, the present invention relates to food cooking arrangements using burning charcoal or mineral coal as a cooking heat source, and more particularly it relates to a prefabricated modular structure for an outdoor barbecue which allows for an easy and cheap method of assembling, without using traditional building methods.
Barbecues structures and arrangements for food cooking are well known in the art. Basically, whether fixed or mobile, they always have in common the same elements: a base on which burning coal is supported, a metallic grid structure placed over said base and having height regulating means, where the food to-be cooked is placed and a fume expulsion chute. In order to build up this kind of fixed outdoor barbecue, traditional construction methods are usually used, that is, common brick-and-mortar systems for constructing the structure, refractory bricks on the base, mortar, a metallic grid, height fern adjustment means having a metal bar assembled in a swivel motion on the structure where a pair of chains are attached to the metal grid for raising and lowering it, and a chute that channels and expels fumes. Building this kind of brick-based fireplace structures takes several days, is usually very expensive, and mortar mix is required for binding the different elements thereof. This kind of structure cannot be previously shaped and a qualified worker is required on site.
There is other kind of barbecues, the mobile ones, having an entirely metallic structure including legs with wheels, a base, a grid and regulating means without using a chute. This kind of barbecue is useful to cook foods, but does not have the advantages of a barbecue made of bricks and mortar, which offers a tastier and easier method of cooking.
Prefabricated fixed grates made of structural panels are known in the art such as is disclosed in the U.S. Pat. No. 6,070,572. That patent discloses a fireplace for food cooking having a planar member adapted to have coals dispersed thereon and having two sides extending perpendicular therefrom on opposite sides thereof and a back extending perpendicular therefrom extending between the two sides. A fireplace hood is supported on the two sides and the back. The fireplace hood has a duct extending upwardly therefrom whereby the duct is adapted to allow smoke to discharge from the hood. A baffle plate wall has its ends affixed to the two sides and a back side which is spaced from the back so as to define a hollow space therebetween. The baffle plate wall is positioned between the planar member and the fireplace hood so as to define a combustion chamber and a cooking chamber. The hollow space has an upper opening and a lower opening with the lower opening defining an access inlet adapted to draw the coals in the combustion chamber.
This modular structure defines a modular prefabricated barbecue for the construction of which no traditional building methods are necessary, but does not provide a completely modular structure capable of being shipped in a single container to be easily assembled by the user, as in the present invention. In fact, in accordance with the present invention, the proposed barbecue contains an arranged series of panels which allows the panels to be sold while completely dismantled. They may be sold in pieces inside a single container, and the user may assembly them by joining and fixing the panels together with screws, which turns out to be an easy task.
The inventive aspects as previously mentioned demonstrate the advantages provided by this invention, since it allows for a totally modular product, which when finally assembled results in a traditional fixed outdoor barbecue, without investing in expensive constructions or in having to use heavy modular structures which can not be easily handled by a user, as with the structure disclosed in the above mentioned U.S. Patent ""572.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a totally modular barbecue, made of structural panels which are separate and designed to be easily assembled by the user, without requiring the latter to be a person skilled in the art. Basically the invention consists of a series of panel including the follows:
A lower housing base referred in this specification as a larder base;
Larder doors;
A larder bottom plate;
A larder left side;
A larder right side;
A larder closing plate;
A metallic bearing bar of the former closing plate;
A barbecue base;
A barbecue bottom plate;
Outer and inner left and right sides;
Barbecue plate;
Closing plate;
Metallic bearing bar of the former closing plate;
Fumes hood base;
Fumes hood; and finally,
Cowl.
All of these collective panels are prefabricated as separated elements allowing for the assembly of the inventive barbecue in a rapid and easy manner, without requiring the services of persons skilled in the construction art. This task may be implemented by the user and for which only a screwdriver will be necessary. These panels can be contained in a single cardboard box in order to furnish its the fast assembly thereof, and eventually its transportation.
Summing up, the outdoor barbecue in accordance with the present invention, includes an independent panels assembly which facilitates an easy and rapid assembly construction thereof, through three basic moduli: a first modulus referred as a xe2x80x9clarderxe2x80x9d modulus, defining a lower dwelling to store several elements such as cordwood, coal, etc.; a second modulus referred as a xe2x80x9cbarbecue modulusxe2x80x9d and a third and last modulus referred as a xe2x80x9cchutexe2x80x9d modulus. The first one comprises the assembly of seven different panels which are described in detail herein below, and which comprise: a lower housing base referred to as the larder base; a larder outer door; a larder bottom plate; a larder left side; a larder right side; a larder closing plate, and a metallic binding bar of the former plate. The second modulus defines a surface on which coal or burning cordwood is placed, together with a metallic grid, comprising the following panels: a barbecue base; a barbecue bottom plate; outer and inner left and right sides; a barbecue plate, a closing plate and finally a metallic binding bar of said closing plate. The third and last modulus comprises several panels constituting a chute assembly including the following panels: a fumes exhaust hood base, a fume exhaust hood and cowl.
Basically, the present invention can be defined as a prefabricated modular structure of a fixed or stationary outdoor barbecue for cooking food, comprising three moduli, a first base modulus which defines a lower larder formed by a base panel, to which two side panels are assembled, a closing rear plate and manhole doors; a second modulus which defines a cooking arrangement comprising an insert base over the former modulus to which two sides are assembled, a bottom plate, a closing rear plate, a barbecue plate and a metallic grid; and finally a third and last modulus comprising a base over the former modulus, to which a fumes exhaust hood and a cowl diffuser are assembled.